Phagocytosis of Fonsecaea pedrosoi conidia, but not sclerotic cells caused by Langerhans cells, inhibits CD40 and B7-2 expression

Fonsecaea pedrosoi is the major etiological agent of chromoblastomycosis, a chronic, suppurative, granulomatous mycosis usually confined to skin and subcutaneous tissues, presenting a worldwide distribution. The host defense mechanisms in chromoblastomycosis have not been extensively investigated. Langerhans cells (LC) are bone-marrow-derived, dendritic antigen-presenting cells of the epidermis, which constitutively express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, and comprise 1-3% of total epidermal cells. LC are localized in suprabasal layers of the epidermis and in mucosa, where they play important roles in skin immune responses. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the interaction of F. pedrosoi conidia or sclerotic cells with LC purified from BALB/c mice skin. We demonstrate here that LC phagocytose F. pedrosoi conidia but not sclerotic cells in the first 3 h of interaction, inhibiting hyphae formation during 12-hour coculture from both forms, internalized or not. Also, LC maturation, analyzed using CD40 and B7-2 expression, was inhibited by conidia, but not by sclerotic cells, indicating an important innate immunity function of LC against F. pedrosoi infection in these mice.     

Delayed-type Hypersensitivity Response to Crude and Fractionated Antigens from Fonsecaea pedrosoi CMMI 1 Grown in Different Culture Media

Chromoblastomycosis is a subcutaneous fungal disease caused by dematiaceous fungi, especially by Fonsecaea pedrosoi, regarded as its major causative agent in Brazil. In recent years there has been a decline in the use of skin testing for delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in epidemiological surveys of fungal infections, mainly because of the unpredictability of positive reactions and lack of specificity of the antigens used. The aim of the present study was to assess delayed-type skin tests in guinea pigs experimentally infected with F. pedrosoi using exoantigens prepared from two culture filtrates. Sixteen adult male guinea pigs were inoculated intratesticularly with fungal cells and submitted to sensitivity assays 4 weeks after inoculation. They received an intradermal injection with crude and fractionated antigens from Alviano’s and Smith’s cultures, and were assessed 24 and 48 h thereafter. Except for one animal, all of them had positive indurations after 48 h. There were no statistical differences between the measurements at 24 and 48 h for each exoantigen used, neither among the induration measurements at 48 h when different preparations were compared. Our results suggest that a delayed-type skin test using antigens produced in synthetic media may be useful for the assessment of primary exposure to chromoblastomycosis.     

Comparison of Fonsecaea pedrosoi sclerotic cells obtained in vivo and in vitro: ultrastructure and antigenicity

The parasitic form of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from the hyperkeratotic layer of the skin was obtained from four patients with chromoblastomycosis. Primary cultures containing hyphae and conidia were successfully converted into sclerotic cells in the presence of 800 microM propranolol and low pH as described before. The morphology of sclerotic cells of F. pedrosoi obtained in vivo and in vitro was analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Their antigenicity was also compared by immunofluorescence microscopy and ELISA assays, using serum samples from untreated patients infected with F. pedrosoi. Due to the similarity of the sclerotic cells obtained in vivo and in vitro, the latter can be more adequately in studies of host-parasite interactions in chromoblastomycosis.     

裴氏着色霉的扫描电镜研究

用扫描电镜研究了引起着色芽生菌病(chromoblastomycosis)的致病菌之一——裴氏着色霉(Fonsecaea pedrosoi)孢子的个体发生,除一级产孢细胞外,还有二级产孢细胞,喙枝孢型的分生孢子梗也可发育成为喙枝孢型的二级产孢细胞。     

Differential expression of sialylglycoconjugates and sialidase activity in distinct morphological stages of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Fonsecaea pedrosoi</Emphasis>

The expression of sialoglycoconjugates in Fonsecaea pedrosoi conidia, mycelia, and sclerotic cells was analyzed using influenza A and C virus strains, sialidase treatment, and lectin binding. Conidium and mycelium whole cells were recognized by Limax flavus (LFA), Maackia amurensis (MAA), and Sambucus nigra (SNA) lectins, denoting the presence of surface sialoglycoconjugates containing 2,3- and 2,6-sialylgalactosyl sequences. Sialidase-treated conidia reacted more intensively with peanut agglutinin (PNA), confirming the occurrence of sialyl-galactosyl linkages. Conidial cells agglutinated in the presence of influenza A and C virus strains, which confirmed the results obtained from lectin-binding experiments and revealed the presence of sialoglycoconjugates bearing 9-O-acetyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5,9Ac₂) surface structures. Western blotting analysis with peroxidase-labeled LFA demonstrated the occurrence of sialylglycoproteins in protein extracts from conidia and mycelia, with molecular masses corresponding to 56 and 40 kDa. An additional band of 77 kDa was detected in conidial extracts, suggesting an association between sialic acid expression and morphogenesis. Synthesis of sialic acids was correlated with sialidase expression, since both conidial and mycelial morphological stages presented secreted and cell-associated enzyme activity. Sialoglycoconjugates were not detected in F. pedrosoi sclerotic cells from in vitro and in vivo sources, which also do not express sialidase activity. The surface sialyl residues in F. pedrosoi are apparently involved in the fungal interaction with immune effector cells, since sialidase-treated conidia were less resistant to phagocytosis by human neutrophils from healthy individuals. These findings suggest that sialic acid expression in F. pedrosoi varies according to the morphological transition and may protect infecting propagules against immune destruction by host cells.     

Fonsecaea monophora所致着色芽生菌病1例及其相关实验研究

目的 报道1例由Fonsecaea monophora所致的着色芽生菌病.方法 患者女,60岁,主因左手背皮损1 a余就诊,取皮损痂屑进行真菌直接镜检和培养,取皮损组织进行组织病理学检查和真菌培养.对培养获得菌株进行形态学和分子生物学鉴定,并进行药物敏感性检测.结果 真菌直接镜检阳性,可见较多圆形、厚壁、棕色的硬壳细胞.组织病理学显示为慢性肉芽肿样改变;HE和PAS染色均可见到圆形、厚壁、棕色的硬壳细胞.真菌培养阳性,菌落生长缓慢,呈橄榄色到黑色.小培养及扫描电镜检查可见枝孢型和喙枝孢型产孢,分生孢子单细胞性,呈椭圆形或卵圆形.ITS区序列分析鉴定为Fonsecaea monophora.药敏试验显示伊曲康唑对F.monophora的最低抑菌浓度（minimal inhibitory concentration,MIC）为1.0 μg/mL,特比萘芬的MIC为0.015 6μg/mL.给予患者口服特比萘芬250 mg/d治疗,皮损缓慢好转;6周后加服伊曲康唑200 mg/d治疗,14周后皮损消退呈瘢痕化修复.结论 依据临床及实验室检查确诊该病例为Fonsecaeamonophora所致着色芽生菌病,伊曲康唑联合特比萘芬治疗本病例显示较好疗效.     

着色真菌monophora引起皮肤着色芽生菌病1例

目的报道1例由着色真菌monophora引起的皮肤着色芽生菌病。方法取皮损皮屑标本进行真菌直接镜检和培养,同时取活检进行真菌培养和组织病理学检查。对真菌培养阳性菌株进行形态学鉴定、温度试验和放线菌酮耐受试验,PCR扩增测序。结果KOH涂片检查可见较多圆形厚壁棕色硬壳细胞。组织病理学显示为慢性肉芽肿样改变;PAS和银染色可见到圆形厚壁的硬壳细胞。真菌菌落生长缓慢,呈橄榄色到黑色。小培养可见大量棕色菌丝、分支分隔,分生孢子梗主要为喙枝孢型,分生孢子棕色,椭圆形或卵圆形,单细胞。温度试验37℃生长,38℃不生长。0．01％、0．05％和0．1％放线菌酮均能耐受。扩增真菌rDNA的ITS区得到645bp的片段,经序列分析与裴氏着色真菌monophora变种ITS区比对,100％一致。结论据真菌学形态结构特征以及DNA序列分析菌种被鉴定为着色霉monophora。     

The influence of surface carbohydrates on the interaction of Fonsecaea pedrosoi with Chinese Hamster Ovary glycosylation mutant cells

In order to better understand the role played by surface glycoconjugates during cell adhesion and endocytosis by the dematiaceous fungi Fonsecaea pedrosoi, we analyzed the interaction between this microorganism and five mutants of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, which differ from each other in the exposition of carbohydrate residues on the cell surface. Five clones (Gat-2 parental, and the clones: Lec1, Lec2, Lec8 and ldlLec1) were tested and the adhesion and endocytic indexes were determined after 2 hours of interaction. The Lec1 and ldlLec1 clones, which present exposed mannose residues, showed the greater adhesion index (AI). On the other hand, the Lec8 clone, which exposes N-acetylglucosamine on the cell surface, presented the greater endocytic index. The role played by surface-exposed carbohydrate residues was further analyzed by addition of mannose or N-acetylglucosamine to the interaction medium and by previous incubation of the cells in the presence of the lectins Concanavalin A (ConA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). The results obtained suggest that mannose residues are involved in the first step of adhesion of F. pedrosoi to the cell surface, while N-acetylglucosamine residues are involved on its ingestion process. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The in vitro susceptibility ofFonsecaea pedrosoi to activated macrophages

Light and electron microscopy were used to analyze in vitro the interaction ofFonsecaea pedrosoi with in vivo activated-macrophages. Adherence of the fungi to the surface of activated macrophages triggers the respiratory burst as revealed by reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. Transmission electron microscopy revealed NAD(P)H-oxidase activity in the portions of the macrophage plasma of membrane that were in contact with the fungus as well as within phagocytic vacuoles. Activated macrophages failed to kill ingested fungi, but they showed a fungistatic activity delaying germ tube and hyphae formation.     

Effect of environmental factors on Fonsecaea pedrosoi morphogenesis with emphasis on sclerotic cells induced by propranolol

The influence of growth conditions, as well as of propranolol on Fonsecaea pedrosoi morphogenesis was established using the chemically defined media of Czapeck-Dox (CD) and Butterfield (BF). Mycelial growth of F. pedrosoi in both media was obtained at room temperature (25 °C) for 14 days, without shaking, whereas conidia formed at 37 °C, for 4 days, in shaken cultures and could be isolated free from the mycelium by filtration in gauze. At low pH (2.5–3.0), there appeared sclerotic cells attached to normal hyphae. When propranolol was added to the CD medium moniliform hyphae were observed, whereas this drug in the BF medium induced formation of sclerotic cells. Ultrastructural examination revealed that the propranolol-induced sclerotic cells were very similar to those observed in infected tissues.